[wp-meta] [Making WordPress.org] #6079: Clearer thread URLs and email notifications

[Making WordPress.org]

#6079: Clearer thread URLs and email notifications
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 Reporter:  galbaras        |       Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect (bug)    |      Status:  new
 Priority:  normal          |   Milestone:
Component:  Support Forums  |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  has-patch       |
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Comment (by Starbuck):

 I created #6525 and #6526 because I didn't find this ticket on my
 research, but these are all related. The issues have been bothersome for
 years, and only now have I considered them frustrating enough to formalize
 requests. I'm glad this topic has some eyes on it and hope to see more.

 I'm hoping we can reduce the definition of the problem down to a concise
 statement:
 ''This site is curiously deficient in providing "context" in search
 results or emails. The overall request here is "do better, everywhere"
 about presenting meaningful information about context to a consumer.''
 Can we agree on that?

 We get emails that have a user-crafted topic, perhaps "i-need-help-3433",
 but no information about what that topic is related to. (Screenshots of
 examples in other tickets.) It's not an unreasonable request to ask for
 more information that tells us what that email is about, so that we can
 decide if we want to look further.

 Similarly, search results don't provide context - there is no data around
 that "I need Help" title that identifies the theme, plugin, or forum that
 contains the thread.

 The remedy for the problems depends on the location, '''and''' perhaps
 personal preferences. I suggested in the other tickets that User Profile
 preferences might be used to allow each of us to toggle how we want these
 issues handled.

 - URLs might be enhanced with context according, perhaps
 wordpress.org/support/topics/slug?plugin=this or ?theme=that or ?forum
 =the-name. Such a URL can be filtered in email as well as being an
 inelegant but effective solution for search results and other place where
 we see links.

 - Search results might get a 'Label: plugin-slug' - or just show the
 context along with other data: Title, Excerpt, Plugin/Theme/Forum Name,
 and maybe a Date. I wouldn't understand any objection to this. That this
 data is missing seems to have been an early oversight that's easily
 corrected at any time now.

 - As noted in this thread, the email subject line can be a problematic
 place for metadata like this.
   - I think the email subject line is used too often to provide too much
 detail, and agree that a list header or other X-header might be
 appropriate. These are universally recognized, can be used by everyone for
 filtering, and adding such a header doesn't break anything else.
   - Some might find it reasonable for all emails to have a fixed "Subject:
 WordPress.org Discussion", with the first line of the message being the
 context "Plugin : The Great Plugin" the second line "Topic : I need Help",
 and the content following. This is not inconsistent with contact form
 emails other system-generated notifications.

 Any of these options or others can be implemented based on wp_usermeta.

 Note that changes in email do not solve the problem in Search results or
 where a URL doesn't provide context. So I maintain these are different
 issues - and neither #6525 nor #6526 are dupes if that is the focus on
 this ticket.

 In summary, I suggest that there is no "best" or "final" or "one size fits
 all" solution, but that any solution that shows recognition of the
 problems is a step in the right direction. If people want other options,
 they can be considered. But let's not dismiss the problems or not come to
 any resolution at all through discussion about "best" solutions.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/6079#comment:24>
Making WordPress.org <https://meta.trac.wordpress.org/>
Making WordPress.org